Apparatus for manipulating bottles or or the like



APPARATUS FOR MANIPULATING- BOTTLES OR THE LIKE July 15, 1969 H. LORKEN v3,455,434

Filed Au 17. 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.2

Fig.

Inventor:

HE LMU T LORKE N y 15, 1 H. LORKEN 3,455,434

' APPARATUS FOR MANIPULATING BOTTLES OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 17, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnvenzar:

HELMUT LORKEN United States Patent US. Cl. 198-21 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Rows of bottles are fed sideways onto a platform against the upwardly extending first arms of bell-crank levers until such levers arrest the foremost row of bottles in a predetermined position whereby the second arms of the levers move away from a beam of light which can impinge upon a light-sensitive signal generator. Signals produced by the generator are used to operate a conveyor which removes at least the foremost row of bottles from the predetermined position on the platform whereby the second arms of levers return by gravity to their normal positions and prevent the light beam from reaching the signal generator until the next row of bottles engages and pivots the first arms of the levers to initiate the generation of a fresh signal.

The platform is adjustable with the levers in and counter to the direction of the feed of bottles, and the levers are adjustable longitudinally of the rows of bottles on the platform.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to apparatus for manipulating bottles, cans, canisters, flasks or like articles. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus which can effect orderly transfer of empty or filled bottles or like articles from one or more belts into crates or other types of containers wherein the bottles are accommodated prior to filling or subsequent to filling and during shipment to storage or to purchasers.

In presently known apparatus which are employed for stacking of bottles in crates, a feed including several endless conveyors transports individual files of bottles to an arraying station where the foremost bottles of such files are arranged in rows prior to to transfer into a crate. As a rule, the arraying step is carried out on a platform along which the foremost bottles advancein response to pressure transmitted thereto by the next-following bottles. Each foremost bottle advances toward engagement with one of a line of series-connected switches and, when the entire line of switches is engaged by bottles, such switches produce or initiate the generation of a signal which causes a transporting conveyor to remove the foremost bottles (which are then properly arrayed) from the platform and to place them into a crate.

A serious drawback of such apparatus is that too much time and expert work is required to convert them for manipulation of different types of bottles, different numbers of bottles and/or different arrays of bottles. Such conversion necessitates complete dismantling of the signal generating system. For example, if the apparatus is to be converted from treatment of large-diameter bottles to treatment of small-diameter bottles, switches must be added to the previously employed switches and the wiring of the signal generating unit must be redesigned accordingly. Inversely, conversion from processing of smallerdia-meter bottles to treatment of larger-diameter bottles necessitates removal or disconnection of certain switches and/or redistribution of remaining switches. This consumes much time so that the apparatus is idle for long intervals whenever it becomes necessary to carry out a conversion.

Summary of the invention It is an object of my invention to provide a novel and improved apparatus for manipulating bottles or like articles, particularly for effecting orderly transfer of bottles into crates or the like, and to construct and assemble the apparatus in such a way that it can be rapidly, conveniently and effectively converted for treatment of differently dimensioned articles as well as for treatment of different numbers of articles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel signal generating system which can be used in an apparatus of the just outlined character and which is simpler and less prone to malfunction than presently known systems.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can be converted for treatment of different numbers and/or different types and sizes of articles with negligible interruptions in operation and wherein such conversion does not require expert work and/or the use of special tools.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which insures that the articles are invariably stacked in a desired array prior to delivery of such articles into a crate or the like.

Briefly outlined, the improved apparatus comprises a support, a feed for delivering articles to and for forming on the top face of the support rows of articles which advance sideways, yieldable arresting devices which preferably take the form of bell crank levers having first arms extending into the path of movement of articles in the foremost row on the support and second arms which are rockable by the first arms from first to second positions when the respective first arms are engaged by and rocked by the articles of the foremost row until the articles come to a halt in predetermined positions with reference to the support, a transfer conveyor Which is operative to remove at least the foremost row of articles from the support when such articles assume the aforementioned predetermined positions, and actuating means for operating the transfer conveyor. The actuating means comprises a light source which emits a beam of light in a direction toward a light-sensitive signal generating cell or the like. The beam can reach the cell when the second arm of each lever is rocked by the first arm in response to engagement of the corresponding lever by an article of the foremost row on the support.

Conversion of my apparatus for'arraying and other processing of different numbers and/or sizes of articles is facilitated by the provision of displacing means for moving the support and the levers in and counter to the direction of advance of articles on the support and by such mounting of the levers on a common shaft that they can be placed at a desired distance from each other.

The novel features which are considered .as characteristic of the invention are set forth in the particular in the appended claims. The improved apparatus itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of a specific embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Brief description of the drawing FIG. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view of an apparatus which embodies my invention and is employed to stack bottles in crates, the foremost row of bottles on the support being ready for delivery into a crate;

FIG. 2 illustrates some of the structure shown in FIG. 1 and a row of bottles during movement to requisite position for transfer into a crate; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the apparatus with the transfer conveyor omitted.

Description of the preferred embodiments The improved apparatus comprises a feed which includes one or more endless belts 1 serving to advance bottles 3 in the direction indicated by arrow A. The feed further includes a plate-like bridge 1a which is adjacent to the discharge end of the belt 1 shown in the drawing and serves to support bottles 3 from below while such bottles advance toward and onto the top face 11a of a support 11 constituted by a plate-like platform located immediately downstream of the bridge 1a. The platform 11 supports one or more rows of bottles 3 while such bottles travel toward the upper arms 13 of a line of twoarmed arresting levers 7 mounted on a horizontal shaft 6. The arms 13 extend upwardly beyond the top face 11a and into the path of bottles 3 in the foremost row B shown in FIG. 1. When such bottles engage the arms 13, the levers 7 are rocked in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, and move their lower arms 8 to the positions shown in FIG. 1. A back support or barrier 14 is located behind the arms 13 and prevents further pivotal movement of the levers 7 at a time when the bottles of the foremost row B assume predetermined positions on the top face 11a. The foremost row B is then located in the range of a transfer conveyor having a set of downwardly extending heads or grippers 15:: which engage the bottles of the row B and transfer them into a crate C supported by a further conveyor D or the like. The exact manner in which the conveyor 15 is driven to transfer one or more rows of bottles from the platform 11 into one or more crates C forms no part of the present invention. It sufiices to say that the conveyor 15 is set in motion to leave the starting position of 'FIG. 1 and to lift and transfer at least the foremost row B of bottles when all of the arms 8 assume the positions shown in FIG. 1, i.e., when each arm 13 is properly engaged by a bottle 3 of the foremost row B so that all of the arms 13 bear against the back support 14.

The actuating means for producing signals which are employed to start the conveyor 15 downwardly into engagement with the bottles of the foremost row B or with the bottles of two or more foremost rows includes a source 9a of light which emits a beam of light transversely below the platform 11 in parallelism with the foremost row B and a light-sensitive cell 9 which is located in the path of the beam and produces a signal when the beam is free to impinge upon its light-sensitive surface. The operative connection 9b between the cell 9 and the conveyor 15 is indicated by a phantom line. It will be seen that the conveyor 15 receives a signal only when the foremost row B assumes a predetermined position on the top face 11a of the platform 11 so that the crates C invariably receive properly arrayed bottles.

In order to facilitate conversion of the apparatus for manipulation of different numbers and/or sizes of bottles, the levers 7 are readily removable from and shiftable along the shaft 6 so that they may be placed at desired intervals in front of the platform 11. The latter is detachable from its carriage and can be replaced by a wider or narrower, longer or shorter platform, depending on the number of articles in the rows and on the dimensions of such articles.

In accordance with a further feature of my invention, the front edge of the platform 11 is provided with locating recesses or notches 10 which allow the arms 13 of the levers 7 to pivot by gravity to the normal positions shown in FIG. 2 in which their upper ends extend into the path of movement of bottles in a row E which advances toi ward the back support 14. The lower arms 8 are then located in such positions in which they interrupt the light beam and prevent light from reaching the cell 9. The locating notches 10 facilitate the work of personnel during conversion of the apparatus. Thus, all an operator has to do is to select and to properly install a given platform 11 and to thereupon distribute the levers 7 in such a way that the upper arm 13 of each lever is free to enter one of the notches 10. Means may be provided to hold the levers 7 against axial movement along the shaft 6 when their arms 13 extend into the adjoining notches 10.

In accordance with still another feature of the invention, the arresting levers 7, their shaft 6, the platform 11 and the signal generating means are mounted on and movable by a displacing assembly which can shift them in and counter to the direction indicated by the arrow A. This displacing assembly comprises a frame F, a pair of threaded spindles or feed screws 5 which are journalled in bearings 5a of the frame F, a handwheel 5b on one of the spindles, spindle nuts 50 meshing with the spindles, and a carriage 5d which is connected with the nuts 50 and supports the platform 11 and the shaft 6. The means for synchronizing movements of both spindles includes a chain drive 5e which causes the left-hand spindle of FIG. 3 to rotate in response to rotation of the right-hand spindle on turning of the wheel 511. It is clear that the wheel 5b can be replaced by a reversible motor or by a transmission which receives motion from the drive for the belt 1 and/or conveyor 15.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features which fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of my contribution to the art and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for manipulating bottles or like articles, comprising a support; a feed for delivering articles to and for forming on said support rows of articles which advance sideways; yieldable arresting devices associated with said support and having first portions each extending into the path of movement of an article forming part of the foremost row and second portions movable by the respective first portions between first positions in which the respective first portions are out of engagement with articles and second positions in which the respective first portions maintain the foremost row of articles in a predetermined position on said support; actuating means comprising means for emitting a beam of light and light-sensitive signal generating means located in the path of said beam to produce signals in response to movement of all of said second portions to second positions, said beam being interrupted by each of said second portions in one of their positions and being free to reach said signal generating means in the other positions of said second portions; and conveyor means operative to remove the foremost row of articles from said predetermined position in response to signals from said signal generating means.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said signal generating means produces signals when all of said second portions assume said other positions, such other positions being said second positions.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said arresting devices comprises a two armed lever, all of said levers being pivotable about a common axis and having first and second arms respectively constituting said first and second portions thereof.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said support has a substantially horizontal top face for supporting the articles and wherein said first arms extend above said top face.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said axis is horizontal and wherein said levers normally assume by gravity such angular positions which correspond to the first positions of said second arms.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said arresting devices are movable with said support in and counter to the direction of feed of articles.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, further comprising displacing means for moving said arresting devices and said support, said displacing means comprising a frame, threaded spindles mounted in said frame "and connected with said support and said arresting devices, said spindles extending in parallelism with the direction of article feed, and means for rotating said spindles to thereby move said support and said arresting devices.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, further comprising means for synchronizing rotary movements of said spindles.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising an elongated shaft for said arresting devices, said arresting devices being movable along said shaft lengthwise of said rows.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said arresting devices are pivotable on said shaft, said support having locating means for said arresting devices.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said locating means are constituted by notches provided in said support.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said actuating means is located at a level 'below said support.

.13. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a barrier for blocking the movement of said second portions beyond said second positions.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said feed comprises at least one endless conveyor.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,744,609 5/1956 Jenney 19821X EDWARD A. SROKA, Primary Examiner v US. Cl. X.R. 53-61; 250-223 

